BELFAST — Local Color’s Fourth Friday Gallery Night, Friday, April 25, from 4 to 7 p.m., will feature two guest artists, who will each give a short artist talk beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Maggie Sanftleben worked as a graphic designer and art director in Boston for 25 years before relocating to coastal Southern Maine, where the stunning vistas and unique light inspired her to return to painting. Her design background enhances her ability to deconstruct form and perspective, bringing a distinctive approach to her art. Rather than striving for precise representations, her paintings capture the ever-changing rhythm and color of landscapes. She soon developed an interest in encaustic art, honing her skills with wax and using a propane torch to create tactile layers infused with pastels, charcoal, ink, graphite, fused photos, and wax pencils. Her artwork has  been featured in solo, invitational, and juried exhibitions and is in private collections across the U.S. 

Returning guest artist Karen Olson, a papermaker, paper sculptor, and lens-based artist, is keen on wild tending, looking for ways to work directly with the land. Last summer, the Himalayan Balsam from the wild areas surrounding her home provided material for beautiful golden paper and paper lace.

“It was an imaginal time as I allowed the material to direct my heart and my hands,” says Olson. “A period of feeling fully alive in sensory communication.”

Through concept-based projects, Olson explores the intersection of human emotion and the natural world, investigating how the human-nature connection nurtures mental health and interpersonal communication. Her passion lies in uncovering both the scientific and soulful aspects of her subjects.

Local Color Gallery is located at 135 High Street in Belfast. See www.localcolorgallerymaine.org or call 207-218-1249. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 to 5 and Sunday, 11 to 4.